Really or read between the lines?

[Parfait]

My school opens a chat room for PNMs with sorority and fraternity members where PNMs may ask questions. (Actually, I suspect there is a troll in there, it keeps asking about hazing and if selection is judgemental/unfair, etc. but it may be staff posing to answer common questions, I suppose, but that is another subject and not important.)

Someone mentioned sending in a resume and recommendations and they said recommendations were accepted, but not required and not to worry about a resume. They also said a photo was not needed.

I'm just wondering if it would be good to send a photo and a resume anyway because it's one of those unwritten rules or go with what they say? I understand you can't give a sound yes or no since each school is different, but looking around these boards I've realized there is "standard" information on the website, then unwritten rules to go along with it.

fwiw there will be an info session before recruitment and I do plan on attending that so hopefully that will shed some light onto things.

Thanks. =)

edit: It's not a very competitive school from what I understand.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by Parfait

My school opens a chat room for PNMs with sorority and fraternity members where PNMs may ask questions. (Actually, I suspect there is a troll in there, it keeps asking about hazing and if selection is judgemental/unfair, etc. but it may be staff posing to answer common questions, I suppose, but that is another subject and not important.)

Someone mentioned sending in a resume and recommendations and they said recommendations were accepted, but not required and not to worry about a resume. They also said a photo was not needed.

I'm just wondering if it would be good to send a photo and a resume anyway because it's one of those unwritten rules or go with what they say? I understand you can't give a sound yes or no since each school is different, but looking around these boards I've realized there is "standard" information on the website, then unwritten rules to go along with it.

fwiw there will be an info session before recruitment and I do plan on attending that so hopefully that will shed some light onto things.

Thanks. =)

edit: It's not a very competitive school from what I understand.

I couldn't say for sure, but I would ASSUME that if a resume is not needed, neither is a recommendation. You can always call the Greek Life office and ask how many PNMs usually submit rec's a year.

[AXOrushadvisor]

If you can send in a resume and photo to each Chapter it is really helpful because we get some information on you before you walk through the door. If you send the resume and photo to Panhellenic it might or might not make it to each Chapter. At the school I volunteer at we would get the resume and no picture. The advice I always give is send your resume and picture along with a recommendation - it certainly can not hurt. Good luck!

[33girl]

Go to the "schools where you absolutely positively need recs" thread and see if the school is listed there. If not, search using the name of the school, see if there are any students/alums from there and send them a PM and ask if you need recs etc.

The fact that the school organized something like this makes me believe that Greek life may be more competitive than you think.

[BeeBee23]

^ I agree with this making me feel like I might be more competitive than you think.

I come from a competitive greek system, but I always think it's good (and tell PNMs) to send in the resumes. Especially for my chapter, theyre extremely important...they often determine which PNMs gets cut after round 1 (because without them it's hard to know them as well)

Otherwise, I would say that if you have time to send in a picture and resume then I would do it. It can't hurt to be extra prepared.

[Parfait]

I searched for my school and.... nothing came up in it.
About the chats, they do one each month on various subjects such as general, residential life, greek life, financial aid, etc. so I'm not sure if that points to being competitive or just a general information session.

I'm just worried it would be a bit overkill or seen as desperate.

[Titchou]

It won't be seen as overkill or desperate. Send them in.

[agzg]

It'd be overkill on my campus, for sure. I would do what the people in the chat said to do OR call the Greek Life office to confirm. Does recruitment start before school for you?

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by agzg

It'd be overkill on my campus, for sure. I would do what the people in the chat said to do OR call the Greek Life office to confirm. Does recruitment start before school for you?

Her original post stated that recs are accepted but not required. I can't see that as overkill. As for the resume, it goes to the person writing the rec who either transfers that info to her form or says "see attached." You have no way of knowing which the person willl do. I typically do not attach the resume but ratehr write the info on the our form in the space provided.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Her original post stated that recs are accepted but not required. I can't see that as overkill. As for the resume, it goes to the person writing the rec who either transfers that info to her form or says "see attached." You have no way of knowing which the person willl do. I typically do not attach the resume but ratehr write the info on the our form in the space provided.

I read the original post, but thanks for the recap.

My campus will accept recommendations but does not require them. Sending a resume would be overkill on my campus. Our recruitment application has places for all the information that one would put on a resume anyway.

In the four years I was there, we never got a picture from a PNM. Not once.

This is the reason why I suggest she contact the Greek Life office ON HER CAMPUS.

ETA: It seems like the chats are probably like a virtual orientation to the campus - we had sessions on Greek Life during orientation, too, although not online, so I can't speak to how competitive a campus may or may not be based on just that.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by agzg

It'd be overkill on my campus, for sure. I would do what the people in the chat said to do OR call the Greek Life office to confirm. Does recruitment start before school for you?

how do people react on your campus if they receive a rec.?

i would think if a chapter has received a rec. and has never seen one, they would ask a chapter advisor about it and then either keep it as a novelty or just shred it. i would think it would impress people that someone went to the trouble of having one written, but recs. are important in the south, and i might be looking at the situation from a different perspective.

nevermind agzg, you must have replied as i was typing. thank you for your insight!

[agzg]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

how do people react on your campus if they receive a rec.?

i would think if a chapter has received a rec. and has never seen one, they would ask a chapter advisor about it and then either keep it as a novelty or just shred it. i would think it would impress people that someone went to the trouble of having one written, but recs. are important in the south, and i might be looking at the situation from a different perspective.

nevermind agzg, you must have replied as i was typing. thank you for your insight!

I'm still going to reply.

We do get Legacy Introduction Forms, so I would imagine it would be treated in a similar manner. I can't speak to what other chapters get or what they do with it, but it would probably at least be read or considered, after talking to a chapter advisor about what it is. If an info only rec came with a resume and picture it probably would not be seen as overkill. It's when a PNM sends it herself that chapters might be like "wow this girl is trying too hard."

I don't think it would be seen as "impressive," but I can't speak to other people's impressions.

And yes, I know that many NPC groups "require" recs but really considering the massive amount of rulebreaking on my campus it's not really surprising that not only is that a rule we break, but one most of us have never heard of.

ETA: The picture thing might have been helpful if more women went through formal recruitment each year, but it usually wavers between 25 and 50 women, sometimes a little more, and since we have deferred recruitment most of the PNMs are recognizable to chapter members. For fall recruitment, it's COR, so even there recommendations/resumes/pictures aren't really necessary.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by agzg

And yes, I know that some NPC groups "require" recs but really considering the massive amount of rulebreaking on my campus it's not really surprising that not only is that a rule we break, but one most of us have never heard of.

FYP

Parfait - the schools you mentioned previously that you may be attending are going to have members in them whose sisters/friends went to large schools who DID need full-out recs (Mizzou, KU etc). I think they're going to be familiar with the concept of a rec/resume/photo combo and just think "oh, her cousin at KU helped her do this" or something of the like.

Even if you were going to my we saw one rec in 4 years school, I don't think we would have looked down on you for it in any way - just said "huh" and asked a higher up what to do with it.

[agzg]

I think I was unclear - what I'm calling "overkill" would be if the PNM sent her resume and photo to the chapter herself.

I still think that if she has lingering questions on whether or not recs are actually used, she should contact the greek life office on her campus.

Good catch 33girl, I edited that post to reflect that.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by agzg

I think I was unclear - what I'm calling "overkill" would be if the PNM sent her resume and photo to the chapter herself.

Just as I am thinking that no one would do such a thing, someone surely will!
No, no, no, never, never, never do this! Your application should have all that on it.